Daddy's Girl
by IceCreamNinja
Summary: A collection of one-shots/drabbles containing Peeta and his daughter. No plot, just fluff. 'Cause apparently that's the only thing I know how to do.
1. The Goodest

**Yep, another story. This is just one of what will soon be many one-shots or drabbles or whatever you want to call them about Peeta and his daughter. It won't have a plot, just fluff. Hope you like this first drabble/one-shot! **

** Disclaimer: I am not Suzanne Collins. I do not own Hunger Games or any of its characters. It would be nice to own Peeta, though.**

** -MJ888**

"Daddy?"

The little girl with long dark curls and eyes that so resembled her father's waltzes into her father's art room, clutching her favorite teddy bear. It was given to her by her Aunt Johanna just days after she was born. It is old and tatty and it's missing one ear and it had been sewn and patched multiple times, but she loved it nonetheless.

"Yes, Sage?" Peeta Mellark, her father, says, looking up from his painting of a sunset.

"Mother is going out into Town with Orion!" Sage says as Peeta pulls her onto his lap. "Do you know what this means, Daddy?"

"What?"

The four year old bounces up and down on her father's lap. "It means we can have a daddy-daughter day!"

"Oh, you're right! How exciting!" Peeta exclaims. He loves his daughter so much and he loves spending time with her. She is without a doubt a daddy's girl. "What do you want to do?"

Sage cocks her head to one side thoughtfully. Her gaze wonders around the room until her eyes catch her father's unfinished sunset painting on the easel. Sage has always marveled Peeta's ability to paint so realistically and picture-perfect. She looks up at her father.

"Daddy, teach me to draw like you," Sage says.

Peeta grins and kisses his daughter on the forehead. "Sure thing, cupcake."

"Yay!" Sage squeals.

She hops off of Peeta's lap and begins to dance around the room. Peeta chuckles and shakes his head. How did he help to generate something so adorable? Sage was definitely without a doubt the best creation he had ever made, better than any painting or cake.

"Okay, Sage," Peeta says, lugging the little wooden stool in the corner over to the middle of the room, next to his. "Sit here next to me."

Sage happily obeys and sets her teddy bear on the floor next to her. Peeta flips open to the next clean page in his sketchbook and hands it and a pencil to Sage.

"What should I draw?" Sage asks with the pencil posed above the page.

"Anything you like," Peeta says.

"Anything?"

"Anything. I'll draw with you on my easel."

"Okay."

As Sage draws, her tongue sticks slightly out of her mouth in concentration, in a cute manner that makes Peeta smile. Her pencil flies across the page like she's been doing this her whole life. Lines connecting to lines until it forms a picture. When she's finished, she taps her father on his shoulder.

"I'm done, Daddy!" she announces, holding up the sketchbook with pride.

Peeta looks up from his drawing. What he sees makes him grin. Two stick people, one big and one small, both smiling like they're the happiest people in the world, with their little stick hands connecting. But the people aren't the only things smiling. _Everything _in the picture is smiling. The flowers, the butterflies, the sun, and the little bunny rabbit. Above the people are the words written in messy four year old scribble. _Daddy and me. _

"This is me," Sage says, pointing to the smaller of stick people. "And this is you, Daddy." She points to the bigger one. She glances at Peeta's drawing and her eyes are drained of excitement. "It's not as good as yours."

"Nonsense," Peeta says. "It's even better than mine. I love it."  
"Really?" Sage asks hopefully, her eyes twinkling again from this bit of praise from her lovely, artistic farther.

"Absolutely. In fact, it's so good, that we're going to hang it up in the living room for everyone to see."

Peeta takes his daughter's hand and leads her into to the living room. He hangs Sage's picture up with tape, right above the couch.

"How's this?" he asks.

"Perfect! Now everyone can see how good I am!" Sage exclaims. She looks up at her father with her gorgeous sky blue eyes. Peeta knew that those eyes will make the boys flip head over heels when she's older. Peeta doesn't like the thought of that. He wants Sage to remain a little kid as long as possible, since he and Katniss were never able to. "I'm really good, aren't I? Gooder than anyone else in the whole wide world!"

Peeta chuckles and picks up Sage, spinning her around and around in the air as she giggles and shrieks. Peeta is glad that her only shrieks are of joy and laughter.

"You bet," he agrees, kissing her hair. "I love you so much, Sage."

"I love you too, Daddy."

**I know, I know. Not my best piece of work. But I've had this idea for a while and I just needed to spit it out. So… review, add to favorites/alerts, hug a tree, eat a pineapple. Do whatever you do.**

**-MJ888 :{D**


	2. Sky Giants

**Author's Note: Chapter 2 has arrived! I would like to thank everyone who reviewed and favorited this story. It made me so happy! After this chapter, I don't know when I'll update again. I'm pretty busy this week, so I don't know if I'll update at all this week. That's why I have this for you today! Please enjoy and review! **

**Disclaimer: I still don't own the Hunger Games.**

**-MJ888**

When Peeta wakes in the middle of the night, he isn't sure whether it was to a flash of lightning or the sound of weeping. A huge clap of thunder rattles the whole house and the sobbing gets louder. His first reaction is to comfort Katniss, but when he rolls over, she's sleeping soundly, looking very serene and not at all like she's having a nightmare. But if it's not Katniss, then who's-

"Daddy!"

Peeta leaps out of bed and dashes to the door, almost slipping on his prosthetic leg. His daughter's room is right across the hall and when he bursts through, he sees her vulnerably hiding under her blanket, grasping her teddy bear, tears sliding like rivers down her cheek.

"Sage, baby," Peeta says, his heart breaking seeing his four year old like this. He sits down on the edge of her bed and takes her fragile hands in his. "What's wrong?"

Sage hiccups. "The th-thunder is sc-scaring me."

"Sweetie, you don't have to be afraid. Thunder is nothing to be afraid of," Peeta soothes, running his thumb along Sage's knuckles.

"Yes it is!" Sage insists. "D-daddy, it is. The only reason you're not scared is because you're not scared of anything."  
Peeta has to restrain himself from laughing out loud. Is it even possible for a victor of the Hunger Games to not be afraid of anything? He could write a very long list of things he's afraid of. But he doesn't say that. He doesn't want to scare Sage, especially since she's already petrified.

"Sage, do you know what causes thunder?" he asks.

Sage shakes her head.

"Up in the sky, there's a whole village of sky giants-" Peeta begins.

"Sky giants?" Sage asks worriedly, her back straightening, eyes wide with fright.

"Yes, sky giants. But they are the nicest giants ever. They're friendly and caring and never, _ever _mean." Sage relaxes. "And you know what those sky giants love to do?"

"What?"

"They love to play bowling."

"Bowling?"

"Yes. So, every once in a while, the sky giants get together and go bowling together. The thunder is just the sound of the sky giants bowling."

"Really? You promise?"

"I promise. And do you know what causes lightning?"

"What?"

"The sky giants' best friends are fireflies. But the fireflies can't play bowling with the sky giants because they're too tiny. So instead, while the sky giants bowl, the fireflies play tag."

"Is that the truth?" Sage asks.

"The whole truth and nothing but the truth."

Sage puts a hand over her heart. "Cross your heart and hope to die?"

Peeta nods his head and makes an 'x' over his chest. "Cross my heart and hope to die."

"Wow," Sage whispers. She yawns; one of those big yawns that reach to your eyes. "Daddy, will you stay with me?"

Peeta grins, laying his head down on the pillow and covering him and Sage with the blanket. He wraps his strong arms around her, protecting her from the night's evils. "Always," he mutters into her hair. "By the way, what you said earlier isn't true."

"What?" Sage asks drowsily.

"I'm scared of things," Peeta admits.

"You are? Of what?"

"Lots of things. Like… wolves," he says, thinking of the wolf mutations at the end of his first Games.

"Wolves?" Sage giggles.

"Yep. Everyone has their fears. I used to be afraid of talking to your mother."

"Why would you be afraid of talking to your own wife?"

"When we were younger, about your age, I had a huge crush on her. But I was nervous of talking her because I was afraid I would say something stupid. Isn't that silly?"

"Yes." Sage laughs.

"I got over it though. And you can get over your fear too."

"Because they're just sky giants, right?"

"Exactly."

"So did you pretend Mother was a sky giant?"

Peeta laughs. "No you silly girl." Sage smiles and attempts to suppress a yawn, and Peeta says, "Let's get some sleep now, alright?"

"Okay," Sage says, but as soon as she closes her eyes, they snap open again. "By the way, Daddy, you're fearless to me."

Peeta smiles into his daughter's locks. "Thanks sweetie. Good night."

"Good night, Daddy," Sage says.

And they both drift off into the wonderful world of peaceful dreams. Peeta can't wait for the next day with his daughter.

**I hope you liked it! Bye! I'm going to make a Hot Pocket now.**

**-MJ888 :{D**


	3. School

**Hey! It's been exactly a week; how goes it? Anyway, busy week last week, not so busy week this week. But I can't really tell that now, because the teachers might go all devil and assign us five hours of homework every night. *shudders* I hope not. Anyway, I don't really like this one, but maybe you will.**

** Disclaimer: What? Did you think that I just bought the Hunger Games from Suzanne Collins in a week? Yeah, I don't think it's that easy. And I'm completely broke. I have like, one dollar. Literally. So, moral of the story, I don't own the Hunger Games.**

** Enjoy!**

** -MJ888 **

All around her, kids cling to their Mom or Dad, hiding behind their legs like a shadow as they anxiously stand outside the school building for the first day of school. Not Sage. She bounds all around like a bouncy ball, introducing herself to everyone she sees, kid or parent. Peeta chuckles. Calling his daughter a social butterfly would be an understatement. She is constantly hyper, even when she hasn't had any sugar all day, and she loves meeting new people. She has been anticipating the first day of school for months now, and today she got up at six A.M. out of excitement.

"Hi! I'm Sage Primrose Mellark!" Sage chirps to a little girl with fiery red hair and freckles. "What's your name?"

"Zaya," she whispers timidly, peeking out from a woman who has the same hair as her.

"Zaya. That's a pretty name. Nice to meet you, Zaya! What's your favorite color? Mine's pink. Do you like cakes? Chocolate or vanilla? I think-"

"Sage," Peeta says, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Calm down. You're overwhelming her. Stay by Daddy, why don't you?"

"Fine," Sage says. As Peeta leads her away from Zaya and her mom, Sage asks, "What is school like, Daddy?"

"It's probably different now than it was when I was your age," Peeta responds.

"What will I learn?"

"The alphabet, how to spell, numbers-"

"But, Daddy, I already _know _my numbers! I can count to ten! Listen! One, two, three, four, five… um, nine, seven, ten!" Sage proudly puffs out her chest. "See, Daddy?" Peeta laughs. "Do you remember _your_ first day of school, Daddy?"

Peeta grins. "I'll remember it for as long as I live. It was they day I first saw your mother."

"Really? You've known each other since you were five?" Sage gasps.

"Well, not really. We first talked to each other when we were sixteen." Peeta leaves out the fact that the only reason they talked to each other then was because they were thrown together to fight to the death, since Katniss and Peeta had vowed to not tell their daughter about their part in the Hunger Games until she is twelve. "But I only first saw her when I was five."

"Do you think I'll see the boy that I'll marry today?" Sage wonders aloud.

Peeta laughs. "Maybe."

Sage searches the ocean of kids and considers each boy until she locks eyes with a little boy with jet black hair and eyes that reminded Sage very much of chocolate.

"Hey, that boy is kind of cute," Sage remarks. She cups her hands around her mouth, prepared to shout. "Hey! Boy! Yeah, you! I'm going to marry you someday! Yep, it's true! I'm Sage, by the way."

"Okay, okay," Peeta says, noticing that Sage's outburst earned both him and her several stares. He didn't want his daughter to have a bad impression before the day even started. "Settle down, Sage."

"Daddy, I'm such a big girl, aren't I?" Sage says, hopping up and down.

"Yes, yes you are," Peeta says, picking Sage up and kissing her on the forehead. "Seems like just yesterday you were a little baby toddling all over the house."

This puzzles Sage. "What? Don't be silly, Daddy. I wasn't a baby yesterday. I was five years old yesterday, like I am today."

Peeta chuckles. "It's an expression, cupcake. It means that the years have gone by fast."

"Oh."

Just then, the bell rang, causing Sage to jump, startled. Peeta smiles and pecks Sage's forehead one last time before setting her down on the ground tenderly.

"Good-bye, big girl. Have a good day," Peeta says.

"Bye Daddy. I love you! I'll miss you!" Sage calls behind her shoulder as she races off to the school building, less reluctant than the other children, who are still hugging their parents and saying good-bye.

"Love you too, cupcake." Peeta says, smiling. He watches Sage as she waves one last time before she enters the building, being ushered by a teacher. Peeta still can't believe that Sage is beginning school. It was true; what he said to her. It really _does _feel like Sage was a baby just yesterday.

Time flies. It really does.

**SO GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT OF MY HEAD! AND FALL INTO MY ARMS INSTEAD! I DON'T I DON'T DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS! BUT I NEED THAT ONE THING! AND YOU'VE GOT THAT ONE THING!**

**Sorry, major Directioner here. And I'm listening to that song right now!**

**Peace!**

**-MJ888 :{D**


	4. Boo-Boos

**Oh my josh I am so so so sorry it took so long for me to update this! Super-duper sorry! Hopefully this chapter will make up for it. I've spent a lot of time on it, revising it and stuff, so I hope you enjoy! Review, please!**

** -MJ888**

Sage pokes at her left knee, but immediately yanks it back, wincing in pain. Bright red blood oozes out of the cut she just got when she fell off her bike. She still is shaky on her two-wheeler, even though she insists that she's elite.

"I can do it myself," she had told her father a few minutes ago when her mother came out onto the porch and told him the oven was beeping, which meant his cookies were ready to be taken out. "You can go and get your cookies. Anyway, I'm hungry."

After he disappeared inside, Sage ensured that her helmet was buckled and hopped onto her bike. She kicked off and pedaled away, perhaps faster than she should have, and she wiped out before she could count to three.

Now, as Sage fights down tears, she wishes her father hadn't left. Sage feels a warm tear run down her cheek, and before she knows it, whole rivers are flowing down her face, despite her attempts to hold it all in. The front door swings open suddenly and her father steps out.

"Hey, Sage, how's it going with your-" he says. His smile droops when he sees his five year old daughter sprawled out across the grass, her bike collapsed next to her. "What happened?"

"I fell," Sage sniffs. She points at her bloody knee. "I got a boo-boo."

"Aw, you poor thing," Peeta says sympathetically, jogging over to examine. "Let me see, cupcake."

Sage gingerly lifts up her knee for her father to inspect. "It h-hurts, Daddy," she sputters.

"I know, sweetie," Peeta says. "It's just a cut, though. Don't worry."

"It hurts!" Sage exclaims.

"Hon, calm down. It's just a cut. Deep breaths, deep breaths. It'll be okay, okay?" Peeta says, caresses his daughter's hair. Sage sniffles and nods. "Now, I'm going to get some band-aids, you stay right here, okay?"

"Okay," Sage obeys.

As Sage sits on the grass waiting for her father to return, she wipes her eyes on the back of her hand. Her father was right; it's just a cut; it's not going to kill her. She takes one deep breath, then another, like her father advised her. One deep breath, two deep breaths, three deep breaths, four deep breaths. How is her father so brave, anyway? Sage has always marveled his ability to stay calm in any situation.

"Okay, now I'm not a healer like your grandmother, but I think I know how to heal a cut," Peeta says. He kneels down beside his daughter and elevates her knee. "This might sting, but just a little."

Sage holds her breath and manages to only cringe slightly when Peeta sprays the first-aid spray on her cut. It stung terribly, like a wasp sting, which Sage has gotten when she was three and accidently stepped on one, but Sage was determined to be brave.

"My brave girl," Peeta murmurs as he caps the spray bottle and opens the box of band-aids. He takes out a single band-aid and sticks it on Sage's boo-boo like tape. Then he kisses it. "There. All better?"

Sage nods feebly and whispers, "Thank you Daddy."

"Anytime, cupcake."

Peeta gladly returns the hug Sage gives him. When they release, he smiles warmly at her, but she says something that makes him do a double-take.

"You got a boo-boo once, didn't you? That's why your leg is gone?"

Of course Peeta knew his daughter knew about his prosthetic leg; it would be kind of hard to hide, and he knew one day Sage's curiosity would be eating at her mind until she asked, but he didn't know it would be this soon. Maybe he should've suspected it;

"Oh, well, um…" Peeta stammers. He doesn't know what to say. He and Katniss had decided that they would tell Sage about their horrific pasts when she's twelve, since that used to be the first year in the Reaping, and she still had seven years to go. But a simple 'yes' wouldn't hurt her, would it? "Yes, you're right."

"My leg won't fall off, will it?" Sage asks, and Peeta can detect real fear in her voice.

"No, sweetie, your leg isn't going to fall off. My boo-boo was much bigger than yours," Peeta says.

"Did it hurt?"

At first, Peeta doesn't know how to answer. He doesn't want to lie by saying no, but he also doesn't want to scare Sage by telling the truth. Finally, he takes a deep breath and says, "Yes, it did. But you don't need to worry about it, okay? Because it's done and over. It doesn't hurt anymore."

Sage is quiet for a moment, thinking about what her father said, which is quite unusual, since typically she never shuts up. Then she says, "How about those cookies, Daddy?"

Peeta grins. "Of course."

He picks Sage up and carries her inside, while she babbles about her favorite types of cookies, back to her normal self.

**Review. And that's an order!**

**-MJ888 :{D**


	5. Flour Fight

**Hey! Sorry for my lack of updating skillz, I am prepared for the flying tomatoes to be hurled at me. But maybe you won't throw them at me after reading this chapter, cuz I don't know what you'll think of it, but I really like it. This is my favorite one I've written so far! So… enjoy!**

** Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games, kay?**

** -MJ888**

The sun is just peeking over the hills of District Twelve, turning the once starry black sky a pale grey color. The mockingjays are waking each other up with their upbeat whistling. It is a quite tranquil time of day; the town is only just beginning to stir, stretching and yawning and awaiting the start of a brand new day. Peaceful, quiet-

"Daddy!" Sage shrieks into the bathroom door. "Hurry up, Daddy!"

"Quiet down, Sage. You'll wake the whole district," Peeta says, although he knows it's useless, because Sage is and always will be wild, even at seven-thirty in the morning.

"But Daddy, I'm so _excited_!" Sage shouts, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"I know!" Peeta laughs. "You've only told me about a hundred times, cupcake."

"But it's true! I am so, super-_duper _excited!" Sage yelps. "Now hurry up, you slow-poke!"

Peeta chuckles at his daughter's tremendous ecstasy. She's been this way for a week, ever since she found out about Bring Your Child to Work Day, an occasional event that takes place at Peeta's bakery every once in a while. Sage had never been, and she was positively exploding with exhilaration. It was very hard to put her to sleep yesterday; she was prattling about the day ahead, and what kinds of bread she was going to bake.

Finally, it was the day Sage has been waiting for, and her father's slowness is exasperating her. She has been waiting weeks, and she can't afford to wait another second. Her father has been in the bathroom "getting ready" for nearly seven minutes!

"Hurry _up_, Daddy!" Sage says, pounding her little fists on the door.

To Sage's great excitement, the door swings open just then and Peeta says, "Okay, let's go."

"Seriously?" Sage squeaks, with a grin that seems too large to fit on her tiny little cheeks.

"Seriously," Peeta promises, grinning also and taking his daughter's teacup sized hand in his own.

Peeta intended for him to lead Sage to the bakery, but it seems the exact opposite is happening. Sage drags Peeta down the steps and out the door and onto the front porch of their home. Across the stone of the pathways of the Victor's Village Sage marches, tugging Peeta along behind her. It's a very short walk from there to the bakery, so in a few minutes, Peeta is unlocking the door and they walk through the threshold, making the bell above tinkle like a fairy's laugh.

"We're here!" Sage shouts to the vacant bakery. "Oh—no one's here. Daddy, when are all the other kids gonna get here?"

Peeta glances at his watch. He always has to come to the bakery first since he's the owner. His employees usually come in at about eight. Peeta's watch currently reads 7:45 in flashing green. "In about fifteen minutes."

"Fifteen whole minutes?" Sage groans. "What am I supposed to do til then?"

Peeta grins. "Wanna see the kitchen?"

This wipes the disappointment right off of Sage's face, and is replaced by a large smile. "Oh, of course!"

Peeta escorts Sage to the back of the bakery, where the kitchen is. Stoves line one wall, while a large section of the room is occupied by various ingredients; flour, frostings, sugar, cinnamon.

"Wow," Sage gapes. Her eyes suddenly light up like a torch. "We should bake a cake! Can we, Daddy, can we, Daddy? Can we? Pleeeease?"

Peeta smiles. "Of course."

Sage squeals. She dances over to the ingredient table and lifts the bag of flour onto her shoulder, but as she makes her way over to Peeta, she slips. Peeta manages to catch her, but not the flour bag, which was hanging open, and the flour spills over Peeta.

"Whoa!" Peeta exclaims. "You okay?"

Sage steadies herself. "Yeah." She looks at Peeta and the flour on the floor and gasps, a look of pure horrification on her face. "Daddy—the flour! I—I'm so sorry!"

"Hey, it's okay," Peeta says, leaning down to pick up the flour. He put the sack back on the table and turned around to face his daughter again, who might be close to a crying fit, but not before sneaking his hand in the sack of flour. When his hand is satisfyingly covered in flour, he flings it at Sage.

"What the-" Sage sputters, rubbing flour out of her face. She looks at Peeta, who is silently chuckling. "Daddy! You did that on purpose!"

Sage runs over to the flour bag and pours some of it out on Peeta. Before they know it, they are in a full-out flour war. It's a fight to the death; death by flour. And soon, more than flour is involved. Sage cracks an egg on the top of Peeta's head, yellow yolk oozes down his cheek. Peeta draws a mustache under Sage's nose with a pink frosting tube. Giggling, Sage falls down in a heap on the floor. Peeta kneels down and tickles her until she's screaming breathlessly, "Daddy! Stop! Stop it! Stop tickling me! Please! I beg! You're-"

"Peeta?"

The voice is timid, and when Peeta and Sage look up, they see Texas, a nineteen year old baker Peeta had hired. Being only nineteen, he doesn't have any kids to bring to Bring Your Child to Work Day. His freckled face is confused and slightly frightened.

"Peeta?" he asks again. "Boss, wh-what happened? Why is there—what are you doing?"

"Oh," Peeta says, concealing his grin and glancing at Sage, who wasn't even attempting to hide her loud laughter. Peeta wonders what this scene looks like from Texas' point of view. He walks into the kitchen to find his boss, messy with yolk and flour, and his daughter with a mustache sprawled out on the floor, with food all over the floor. He laughs silently. He sneaks another glance at Sage. "We were just baking a cake."

**Hee hee! I know it's a bit long, but too bad! Review, pretty please with Peeta on top!**

** -MJ888 :{D**


	6. Dance Lessons

**This chapter is kind of short and pathetic, but at least you get one! I'm really sorry this took like two months, but I've been busy. Hope you like it, despite its poopiness!**

**By the way, before you freak out, this is still the same Mockingjay888; I just changed my penname. So, no, I'm not some wannabe or something. I'm still the same person!**

**-Meghan**

Peeta is glad that he is currently alone with his daughter. Glad that his wife and son have gone out into the woods. Glad that Haymitch is most likely drunk and passed out in his house, unable to visit. Glad that it is just him and Sage, because, as much as he loved everyone else, he did _not _want them to see him in a ballerina tutu.

"You look absolutely _stunning_!" Sage exclaims when she sees Peeta wearing one of her tutus; a sparkly purple one. She twirls her own tutu; one with all the colors of the rainbow. "We both do!"

"Yes, we do," Peeta says with a fake smile that he's sure turned out more like a grimace.

Sage beams and hurries over to the old stereo to turn on the music- full blast. Peeta glances out the window to check for curious pedestrians. If anyone sees him… well, rumors spread fast in District Twelve, with everyone knowing everyone…

"Now, Daddy, today is your first day of dance lessons. I will be teaching you everything I know. Are you ready?"

"Ready," Peeta says, inwardly wincing.

"Okay, good. Now, point your toes. A ballerina has to have pointed toes. Yes, very good, Daddy!"

Peeta copies Sage's feet movement with slightly less gracefulness than her, but he blames that on his prosthetic leg. Sage started to dance before she could walk, practically; she loves dance more than any other thing in the world. Peeta often finds her making up new dance moves in her bedroom.

"No, don't bend your knees, Daddy, you have to keep them _straight_," Sage instructs calmly. "Yes, like that! Perfect, Daddy, that's perfect!"

Sage claps her hands enthusiastically. She dances around the living room with the elegance of a swan. It's clear she inherited Katniss' agility, but it's also been made clear hunting isn't for her. Katniss took her out hunting when she was two, but she came home three minutes later with a crying and scared Sage.

"Daddy, you look just like a princess!" Sage yelps after Peeta mimics a twirl that makes his tutu lift.

Peeta smiles. "Thank you, cupcake. But you're the real princess."

Sage beams and curtsies fancily. "Let's do the whole dance I taught you now. C'mon, from the top!"

But before they can, the door opens and in walks Katniss and their almost two year old son, Orion. _Oh no, _Peeta thinks. He thinks about taking the tutu off and acting as though he was never wearing it, but it's no use. She's already seen it. The silent seconds in which they stare at each other seem like hours.

"Dada's pwetty!" Orion babbles, pointing.

"Yes, he is!" Sage says. " A pretty princess! Me and Daddy both are! Do you like our tutus, Mommy, do you?"

"I _love _them," Katniss says, smirking. She strides over and kisses Sage on the forehead. She grins at Peeta, who braces for the embarrassment. "Hello, _princess_," she mutters, pecking him on the lips.

Peeta feels his face burn. "Shut up."

**I added a bit of Katniss for tinypennyrolling's request. I know she's not in it that much, but I might put her in for a little longer in future chapters. Her character was a bit hard to write, so sorry if she's OOC or anything. Anyway, review!**

**-Meghan :{D**


	7. In Love

**Hi :) I have a new chapter, if you haven't noticed. But before you begin reading, I HAVE AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE. I have kind of run out of one-shot ideas for this story, but have no fear! I'm not gonna stop writing this. I just need the help of you guys, my lovely loyal readers. If you have an idea for this story, please tell me via reviews or PM, and I'll write your idea. Don't worry, I will give you credit! Thanks in advance, my lovelies. Now, read on!**

**-Meghan**

"I've called her to dinner five times already!" Katniss Everdeen says in exasperation as she balances a hungry Orion on her hip. "Where is she?"

"You know, I think she locked herself in her bedroom the minute she got home from school," Peeta says, setting a plate of cheese buns on the table. He's surprised the smell of the cheese buns hasn't brought down his daughter yet. She seemed to inherit her mother's love for them. "Think she's dead?"

Katniss glares at him. "Not funny, Peeta. Can you go up there and see what's wrong?"

"Yes, ma'am," Peeta obeys.

Peeta hurries up the steps and into Sage's room. He cannot think of any reason why she would be cooped up in her room all day. She usually bounces all around the house like a firecracker, and Peeta hasn't heard a peep out of her since they said goodbye in the morning.

"Sage?" Peeta knocks lightly on her door. "Dinner's ready, didn't you hear Mommy calling you?" No response. "Sage? I know you're in there. Come on out; we're having cheese buns for dinner." Still silence. "Come on, Sage, I'm serious. Unlock the door."

Perhaps the surprising change of Peeta's tone from kind to stern makes Sage open the door a crack. Her hair is matted, her eyes are watery and red, and there are recent tear and snot tracks on her face. The sight of his young daughter like this leaves Peeta dumbfounded. What on earth happened?

"Baby, what's wrong?" Peeta asks in enormous concern.

Sage doesn't answer, but opens the door wider to let her father in. Peeta walks in and is suddenly crushed with the power of a little girl hug. You'd think the hug of a six year old wouldn't harm you, but Sage squeezes Peeta like a lifeline. Fresh tears appear in her eyes.

"D-d-daddy, it's t-terrib-ble!" she sputters.

"What's terrible, darling?" Peeta says, kneeling down so he can be eye-level with Sage.

"Love!"

Peeta is so astonished at that, he nearly looses his footing and falls over. "Um, what?"

"L-love! It's terrible!"

Peeta stares at his daughter, trying to read the emotions on her face to see if he could figure out what she was talking about.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, but could you explain?" Peeta asks gently.

"T-today, at sch-school, I, well…" Sage trails off, her cheeks growing hot.

"Yes?" Peeta urges.

"I ki-kissed a b-b-b-boy!" Sage cries, and then goes into a fit of hysterical crying again.

Peeta is absolutely sure he heard her incorrectly. Yes, he had to. Sage's crying is making her words almost inaudible, after all.

"Sorry?"

"I kissed a boy, Daddy. I kissed a b-boy."

Oh. So he hadn't heard her wrong.

"Could you explain a bit more?"

Sage takes a deep breath and wipes her eyes. "Okay. There's this boy in my class. His name is Phoenix. And he's really pretty. His eyes- they're really sparkly and such a pretty green color. They shine like the sun. And his hair-"

"Okay, sweetie, I get the point. He's really pretty," Peeta says, worried that his first grader is talking like a love struck teenager.

"Yes, yes he is. And really nice too, because today, at school, these kids were being mean to me and my friend-"

"Someone was being mean to you?" Peeta says furiously. "Why would anyone be mean to you? Who are they?"

"It's nothing, Daddy," Sage says.

"Nothing? It's not nothing if my daughter is-"

"Daddy, it's not the point! I'm telling you about Phoenix, remember?"

And only because Peeta sees tears glistening in Sage's eyes again that he relents. But this conversation is not over, he tells himself.

"Anyway," Sage continues. "as I was saying, when someone was being mean to me and my friend, Phoenix and his friend came over and Phoenix said, 'why can't you just leave them alone, you meanie?' and then the mean kids went away. And Phoenix said to me, 'I don't understand why some kids are mean, do you?' and I said, 'I don't know,' and he said, 'Well I think mean kids are stupid, don't you?' and I said, 'Yeah,' and he said, 'They're just mean for no reason. You didn't do anything to them.' And then… oh, Daddy, I c-couldn't help it! I just kissed h-him! I k-kissed him on the l-lips! And then when I s-stopped, Phoenix was s-staring at me like I was a f-f-f-f-freak! And then he r-ran away and, Daddy, I don't think he'll _e-ever _speak to me ag-gain!"

Sage collapses with sobs into Peeta. He strokes her hair and whispers soothingly until she regains herself somewhat.

"Cupcake, I'm sure Phoenix will speak to you again," Peeta consoles.

"No, he won't, Daddy! He hates me now! Don't you unders-stand?"

"Phoenix does not hate you," Peeta says. "No one could ever hate you because you are a kind, smart, beautiful, brilliant young girl. And nothing you could do could make _any_one hate you. Just try to talk to Phoenix tomorrow when you get to school. He doesn't hate you, alright?"

"You think so?" Sage snivels.

"I _know _so. Don't worry, Cupcake. And, love? Love is the most amazing thing the world has created," Peeta assures.

"No it isn't," Sage insists.

"Yes it is. You'll see when you get older."

"Am I gonna get married?"

"I bet so."

"Will I marry Phoenix?"

"Maybe."

Sage brightens up. "I will, Daddy. I will marry Phoenix. Just like you and Momma. And we're gonna have kids and I'm gonna name one of them Cutie Pie. And then me and Phoenix will get old together and live happily ever after."

"That's right. Happily ever after."

Sage grins. "Come on, Daddy. I will not have a happily ever after unless I have my cheese buns."

Peeta laughs. "Alright. Let's go get those cheese buns.

…**And then they ran off into the sunset…**

**So? Got any ideas? Let me know! Review!**

**-Meghan :{D**


	8. In Love Part 2

**Guess what guys?! I'm on holiday break! Yay! No more school! That may mean more updates for this story… Get excited, guys!**

**Anyway, a lot of you guys wanted me to continue the last chapter. I wasn't planning on doing that, but after awhile I thought, oh what the heck? Thus, part two was born! Hope you enjoy! **

**-Meghan**

Sage takes one deep breath, then two. She closes her eyes.

_My name is Sage Mellark. I am six years old. I have a baby brother named Orion and a mommy and a daddy. We live in District Twelve. I'm at school right now. And I have to talk to Phoenix. Because, yesterday, I kissed him._

That's what Sage sometimes hears her mother do when she is upset. Start with the obvious things, and move up to the more complicated things, she says. Sage can't be more nervous than she is right now. She wasn't this nervous when she had to do a solo dance in the preschool play, or when she was dared to jump off the swing set, or when her mother caught her coloring on her wall. No, Sage has never been this nervous.

"Don't worry, Sage-y. You can do this," Sage's best friend Bliss whispers in her ear.

Sage nods and takes another deep breath. "Okay. I'm ready."

Bliss gives Sage an encouraging smile. Sage walks up to Phoenix, already mesmerized by his golden curls. Oh, why do they have to be so beautiful? It's going to be a lot harder trying to talk to Phoenix when his hair is so breathtaking.

"Sage?" Phoenix says.

_Oh shoot, _Sage thinks, _I was staring. Wait to start this on the right foot. _

"Um, hi. Phoenix," Sage says awkwardly.

"Hi…" Phoenix says uncertainly. He's probably still timid because of what happened yesterday. "What's up?"

"I, well… I just wanted to say sorry for what happened yesterday. When I, you know… kissed you," Sage says.

"Oh. Yeah," Phoenix says.

"I don't know why I did it. I… wasn't thinking. It's just… Phoenix, I think you're a really nice boy," Sage says.

Maybe it's just Sage's imagination, but she thinks she sees a shadow of a smile on Phoenix's face. His gorgeous face, with his green eyes… wait, no. Stop it.

"Thanks. I think you're a really nice girl," Phoenix says.

Sage grins a toothy grin. "I know. My daddy told me. He also said I was smart, beautiful and brilliant. You wanna know what else my daddy said?"

"What?"

"He said that me and you might get married someday."

Phoenix laughed. "He did?"

"Yeah. Would you like it if we got married, Phoenix?"

Phoenix seems to be in severe thought. After a while, he smiles and says, "Yeah, I think I would like that."

Sage beams. "So… will you marry me? Not right now, though. When we're older. 'Cuz I haven't got you a ring yet."

"Sure. And will we have kids?"

"Yeah, definitely! And you know what one of their names will be?"

"What?"

"Cutie Pie!"

"Cutie Pie?"

"Yeah! I mean, only if it's okay with you."  
"As long as we can name another one Dino."

"Dino?"

"It's short for dinosaur."

"Dinosaur?"

"A dinosaur is a really, really, really, really, really, _really _old animal. Like at least a bajillion years old!"

"Really? Wow, that's old! Almost as old as my Not-Really-My-Grandpa-But-I-Call-Him-My-Grandpa-Anyway Haymitch!"

Sage and Phoenix spend the rest of the recess chatting and chatting away about Sage's Not-Really-Her-Grandpa-But-She-Calls-Him-Her-Grandpa-Anyway Haymitch and the rest of her family, Phoenix's family (Sage learns that Phoenix has a baby sister the same age as the former's baby brother), and their interests. All worries of yesterday are forgotten.

_xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX xXxXxXxXxXxX_

"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!" Sage squeals as she enters her father's bakery after school.

Peeta emerges from behind the counter, full of flour, with a smile on his face, and says, "Hi, Cupcake."

"Daddy, I have _big_ news!" Sage announces.

"You do?" Peeta says.

"Oh yes I do! I did what you told me to do! I talked to Phoenix!" Sage exclaims, bouncing on the balls of her feet, unable to contain her glee.

"You did? Excellent, how did it go?" Peeta asks.

"It went _wonderfully_, Daddy! Absolutely perfect!"

"Tell me about it!" Peeta says eagerly.

"Okay, so I walked up to him, and I said I was sorry, and we both called each other nice, and I asked him to marry me someday, and he said he would, and then we just started talking… it was so good, Daddy!"

"I'm glad, Cupcake."

"Me too. You were right, Daddy!" Sage gives Peeta a big bear hug, which Peeta happily returns. She looks up and smiles at him. "Daddy, we have to go to the jewelry store as soon as possible!"

"Why is that?" Peeta asks curiously.

"I need to propose to Phoenix, but I can't without a ring. The only reason I told him I would marry him someday instead of today was because I didn't have a ring. So I need to get a ring! Quickly, Daddy, quickly!"

Sage grabs Peeta's hand and tugs him along. "Texas, I'll be right back! Think you can hold down the fort for a few minutes?" Peeta calls.

"Why, where are you going?" the young subordinate asks.

"Just to the jewelry store a few stores away. I need to get a ring for my daughter. She's asking a boy to marry her tomorrow!"

Texas gives him the strangest look, as if he grew six more arms on his body, but Peeta just chuckles. It doesn't matter. What matters is his daughter. Peeta is glad she finally realizes the wonders of love. He wonders if he may be seeing Phoenix ten years from now, as his daughter brings him to meet her parents; the first step in having a serious relationship. Peeta squeezes his daughter's little hand and smiles lovingly down on her. Young love is the best kind there is. No worries. No threats. And they won't be star-crossed, Peeta will make sure of it.

**Yay! Three cheers for happiness! Hip hip hooray! And, by the way, I like reviews. Just saying. Just in case you want to know… :)**

**-Meghan :{D**


	9. Rides and Races

**Merry Christmas all! This is my Christmas present to you. And if you don't celebrate Christmas, this is my Kwanza present to you. Or my Hanukkah present to you. Or just a random present for you. I don't know, whatever. I wrote this on my new laptop (yay! New laptop!) and I really like it. I was going to make this Christmasy, but I didn't really think Panem celebrated Christmas. But it's wintery. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!**

**-Meghan**

The snow is perfect. Soft and fluffy, yet at the same time hard enough to make a perfect snowball. It's white as a polar bear eating vanilla ice cream and sparkly as a pile of crystals. It's not often the perfect snow falls from the sky, but when it does Sage is always sure to make the best of it until the final patch of it melts. She trudges up the hill, ankle-deep in snow, dragging the bright orange toboggan along after her. She is bundled up with a puffy pink coat, rainbow striped scarf with matching mittens, and a red hat topped with a fluffy ball. Her father is trailing behind her, chuckling quietly at his daughter's excitement.

"We're almost there, Daddy!" Sage calls. "You see?"

"I see," Peeta calls back.

The hill is in the Meadow outside of District Twelve, the Meadow that is bountiful with flowers and butterflies in the spring. In the winter, the flowers wither, but it is definitely not useless in the cold months. The hill is just the perfect size for sledding. They trek up the hill until they finally make it to the top.

"We did it, Daddy! We made it all the way up Mountain of Evilness and Doom!" Sage yells. "High-five!"

"Now are you ready to sled down Mountain of Evilness and Doom?" Peeta asks, high-fiving Sage.

Sage jumps up and down, her dark ringlets bouncing. "You bet!" she says. She glances around and lowers her voice to a whisper. "But just so you know, Daddy, we might die going down."

"Should we take the risk?" Peeta asks in the same serious tone.

"I think we should," Sage says. "Hop aboard the Sled of Scariness… if you dare."

Peeta laughs and gets onto the back of the toboggan, positioning his prosthetic leg into a comfortable position. He pats the front of the toboggan for Sage to climb on, which she does enthusiastically.

"You ready?" Peeta asks.

"Ready! Are _you _ready, Daddy?" Sage says.

"I'm ready too. Okay, one… two…" Peeta begins.

"Three!" Sage screams.

The sled starts out slow, but gains speed. Sage has never been on something so fast. Well, okay, the train she took to go to her grandmother's in District Four was probably faster than this, but she has never been on something so fast and steep. The wind bites her nose and is probably tangling her hair, but she doesn't care. The feeling of riding down the hill on the sled makes up for that. She screams, but not because she is afraid. Because she is having the time of her life. And, besides, it's impossible to feel afraid when the touch of her father's gloved fingers is constantly warming her, keeping her safe from toppling off.

When they reach the bottom, Sage is disappointed. She wanted that ride to last forever. She turns to face Peeta. "Daddy that was the funnest thing _ever_!"

"Ever?" Peeta asks. From the grin on his face, Sage can tell he enjoyed the sled ride too.

"Ever," Sage repeats, nodding firmly.

"Do you wanna go again?" Peeta asks, somewhat eagerly.

"Are you crazy? Why would you even ask that? Of _course _I wanna go again! And again! And again and again and again and again and again until I die!"

"Alright then, let's go!" Peeta says.

"Race you up the hill!" Sage challenges.

"You're on," Peeta agrees.

Sage seizes the toboggan and sprints up the hill. She runs as fast as she can, but it's hard to run when the ground is all snowy like it is. Still, she beats her father. They sled down the hill again and again, going forwards and backwards and with closed eyes and every creative way they can think of. After a while, the sky grows dark and they head for home, but not before Sage makes Peeta promise they can go back the next day.

**Hope you loved it! Review and have happy holidays!**

**-Meghan :{D**


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